


oh, shining one

by thescyfychannel



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Drowning (almost), Humanstuck, M/M, Multi, Near Death Experiences, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22652803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescyfychannel/pseuds/thescyfychannel
Summary: Merfolk might not believe in chivalry, but apparently, they subscribe to the Law of Surprise.
Relationships: Eridan Ampora/Jake English, Eridan Ampora/Jake English/Dirk Strider
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: Polyswap Leap Promptfest - Dawn Edition





	oh, shining one

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [GloamingMage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GloamingMage/pseuds/GloamingMage) in the [Polyswap_Leap_Promptfest_Dawn_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Polyswap_Leap_Promptfest_Dawn_2020) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> A prince and his loyal page are washed overboard in a storm. They are rescued from certain death by a handsome merman. They wake up on a deserted island or in an underwater cave with their savior studying them curiously. Will he eat them? Will he just play with their hair and dress them up in sunken gold and pearls? Hopefully the latter, but the fish does have very sharp teeth.

An unexpected flash of orange gleams bright in the ocean-hued sunlight: You seem to be drowning, but death is unexpectedly beautiful.

"Your Highness—Your Highness, _Eridan_ —" and that would be Jake's voice, cutting through your fragmented memory-dream. This is, of course, how it always goes: You, getting caught up in daydreams, your pageboy, coming to the rescue before you're caught by your tutors, your father, your—holy _shit_.

You do not recall having an incredibly handsome merman around the palace at all. You're almost certain of it, because you're just as certain that you'd remember someone who looked like him.

" _Eridan_ ," and Jake sounds more insistent this time, that's the tone he uses when he's panicked, and there's another beautiful flash of orange scales. "Eridan, wake up—"

"I'm _up_ ," you tell him, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down to press your forehead to his. "I'm up. It's okay."

The panic eases out of Jake slowly, and you flash him a bright grin, pulling away to situate yourself a little better. Your surroundings, so far as your shipwreck addled mind can tell, are a cave of some sort. The only exit appears to be the pool of water towards the center left of it, a pool of unknown depth, and the merman who had stolen your attention (and, apparently, your memories, your dreams, your very souls from the sea) is settled comfortably in it, his chin resting on his arms, folded atop the ledge, as his tail curls up and over his head.

You're staring. When he notices, he flicks some water at you.

"Hey!" Maybe you're a little indignant, or maybe a touch offended that your handsome rescuer seemed more amused by you than attracted to _either_ of you. Even if you weren't his type, you were of the opinion that it would be difficult to find someone who wasn't interested in Jake. "D'you mind?"

"You're in _my_ cave," the merman says, and you think he's almost smirking, a pretty sight on his otherwise expressionless face. "Should I be required to be polite after saving your life?"

You flounder. "Well—"

"It would be the chivalrous thing to do," Jake assures him, and you try not to be amused. Leave it to Jake to rest everyone upon the laurels of a gentleman's code. "Right nice of you, too!"

"But what if merfolk don't believe in chivalry? What then?"

From the horrorstruck look on Jake's face, you've a feeling that this merman's struck a deeper blow than he knows.

"Then we'll rely on basic diplomacy and the standard politeness of interspecies politics," you say, adopting a firm tone of your own as you push up from where you'd been laid.

Attempt to push up.

The world spins around you, and Jake has to catch you before you fall back down.

"Fuck," you mutter, and Jake looks at you sympathetically, shifting around to let you settle back against his chest. "Right, okay. A pleasure to met you, merfolk. My name is Prince Eridan Ampora, this is my page, Jake English, and we appreciate your rescue of us from that...shipwreck?"

"Storm," Jake murmurs, and you nod.

"From that storm. Is there any way we can repay you?"

The merman looks the pair of you over, his eyes calculating, and you wonder what price he's considering asking for your lives—his teeth are sharp, to be sure, but the place he's settled you (or allowed Jake to do so, at least) is all rich cloth in vibrant hues and golds.

"I want," he says, and you notice again, each point of his sharklike teeth, "what you do not yet know you have. From both of you, each of you."

You look up at Jake, who's staring confusedly down at you—then back to the merman, whose eyes are gleaming with a light you wish you could call wicked. "And what exactly is that? How are we to know a thing we do not yet know we have?"

"Jake," he says, his tone newly patient and calm. "How do you feel about your prince?"

Jake's face turns a bright pink, and your eyes go wide in wonder. Could it be? "I—that is to say—well—"

"Good," says the merman, and turns towards you. "Eridan."

"Aye," you say. "You don't need to ask—"

"How do you feel about your page?"

Your face goes nearly as red as Jake's and you can't deny the way your spirit soars at the hopeful light in your page's eyes. "Ah—"

"Exactly," says the merman, and he grins again. "My name is Dirk, and I want the both of you to love me."


End file.
